What a fabulous day was had at Treehaven Equestrian Club today - it was great to catch up with everyone in such a luxurious environment - and have to say how nice it is to have a great cup of coffee in a "real" mug while enjoying a great meal from the kitchen which is under the supervision of hostess Annie Lever - now this is a must and anyone who wants to bring family and friends out to "enjoy" a day at the showjumping or dressage or show rings, this is the place to do it!

Before I begin with the highlights of this great day I would like to suggest to those who are having a grizzle about the Young Rider Challenge, if you have a complaint which you honestly believe is genuine then please either contact Annie and Laurie Lever on 03-59 776 008 or Jan Heine on mobile 0418 339 275 and discuss your concerns. As I understand it there is some grizzling going on - well I have to say that innovation and change sometimes take a couple of goes to get it right but at least changes are happening - so if there are some glitches that is actually understandable considering the short time in which this event was put together - so rather than being a grizzler be a motivator and help with genuine input direct to the organisers of the event - that is much more proactive than grumbling behind the shelter sheds! And if phoning isn't your style then feel free to email Annie or Jan and let one of us know what issues you have and between us we will try to answer your questions or address your concerns.

Ok now that is over - let's get back to the fun of the day!

The first thing which strikes you as you drive into this newest offering on the equestrian scene in Victoria is the cleanliness - and the second thing which strikes you is that there is public carparking completely away from the horse trucks/floats meaning you can walk to the Cafe and viewing areas without having to dodge riders frantically getting ready for their next class - and the carpark is suitable for those cars which are not of the 4WD variety and might be slightly lower slung and hestitant about the usual "park in the paddock" arrangement - Treehaven is a place which welcomes spectators and supporters as warmly as it welcomes the competitors with the needs of all taken into consideration.

Now even though Treehaven might be the newest offering on the competition circuit the owners are no "newbies" to the world of showjumping or dressage or hacking for that matter - the Lever family are a "complete" horse experience with a vast wealth of knowledge ranging from excellent horsemastership, competitive riding, through to training and running of shows with experience gained in Australia, England, Europe and the Middle East. Laurie and Annie head this family and both David and Phil ride competitively and also train and retrain horses with both Laurie and Annie both still very much in the saddle!

Left:Annie Lever runs non-stop all day supervising in the kitchen and running start sheets to the Judges box while also taking care of the microphone and making sure people were well informed throughout the day and she never seems to tire nor does the smile leave her face!

Right: Laurie Lever is another who wears many hats - he is resident Course Designer as well as Trainer and Rider and again his hospitality never wavers making everyone feel comfortable and welcome.